The Great Farewell - Sat 2-Sep 2017 ?

[Catch_20_2]

So with the draw for the final rounds released last week - I think it's time for the club to start preparing for a fitting farewell for some of the true greats of our club - and this day seems the best given that there aren't many home games left. There is a Sunday 2pm game against the Roosters on the 6th of August.

Steve "Skivy" Matai and Brett "The Prince of Brookvale" Stewart are two players that deserve to be sent out in a style befitting absolute legends of our club and the game. I hope the club will announce their plans early to give as many people as possible time to prepare for the celebration.

Being the sentimental fool I am I would also like to include a few players who we never got the chance to say goodbye to....

I would love to see Matt Ballin included, a champion bloke and a tough as nails competitor. Tigers play on Sunday so he should be free. Get him there.

Glenn Stewart - Brett and Glenn, helped form the heart of our club for around 10 years, and led us out of the dark ages of the Northern Eagles and gave us all hope of good times to come. I would love to have Glen join Brett in his walk around Fortress Brookvale ... and would reserve the right to blubber like a baby as their highlights run for an hour on the big screen.

Part of me would also like to put the crap in the past and let Choc walk around as well. Proof that footballers are hired for brawn not brains - Choc did his talking on the field - he played his guts out every time he went out there - from the time I watched him playing a lead up game to first grade pretty much to the bitter end - you couldn't fault the effort (except maybe for the crabbing, silly penalties, and dropped ball). Yep he crapped in his own nest at the end which understandably there are many here that would never forgive - but those were not good times and to blame one person for all the ills I think is wrong.

Anyway this is my dream - I pray the club will put all the bull**** politics aside and make it happen - I'll be there - if it's only one or all - and I'll clap them every step of the way because they deserve it.

 

[Phil Blake]

So with the draw for the final rounds released last week - I think it's time for the club to start preparing for a fitting farewell for some of the true greats of our club - and this day seems the best given that there aren't many home games left. There is a Sunday 2pm game against the Roosters on the 6th of August.

Steve "Skivy" Matai and Brett "The Prince of Brookvale" Stewart are two players that deserve to be sent out in a style befitting absolute legends of our club and the game. I hope the club will announce their plans early to give as many people as possible time to prepare for the celebration.

Being the sentimental fool I am I would also like to include a few players who we never got the chance to say goodbye to....

I would love to see Matt Ballin included, a champion bloke and a tough as nails competitor. Tigers play on Sunday so he should be free. Get him there.

Glenn Stewart - Brett and Glenn, helped form the heart of our club for around 10 years, and led us out of the dark ages of the Northern Eagles and gave us all hope of good times to come. I would love to have Glen join Brett in his walk around Fortress Brookvale ... and would reserve the right to blubber like a baby as their highlights run for an hour on the big screen.

Part of me would also like to put the crap in the past and let Choc walk around as well. Proof that footballers are hired for brawn not brains - Choc did his talking on the field - he played his guts out every time he went out there - from the time I watched him playing a lead up game to first grade pretty much to the bitter end - you couldn't fault the effort (except maybe for the crabbing, silly penalties, and dropped ball). Yep he crapped in his own nest at the end which understandably there are many here that would never forgive - but those were not good times and to blame one person for all the ills I think is wrong.

Anyway this is my dream - I pray the club will put all the bull**** politics aside and make it happen - I'll be there - if it's only one or all - and I'll clap them every step of the way because they deserve it.

Mate I totally agree. These guys where instrumental in giving us 2 GFs and apart from the cheating refs in 2013 should of had a 3rd.
They also created an 'us against them' culture which we will carry on.
They gave us a world record 40-0 victory against a team that was a million dollars over the cap.
These guys have had a massive impact on our club and should be shown the highest respect.

 

[manlyfan76]

Des Hasler

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

It's a lovely idea, but like most of my sexual fantasies could be a disaster if it really happened!!

 

[castle eagle]

I'm with you on 4 out of 5 of them, still a bit dirty of whatnow's comments when he left

 

[sheridanstand78]

So with the draw for the final rounds released last week - I think it's time for the club to start preparing for a fitting farewell for some of the true greats of our club - and this day seems the best given that there aren't many home games left. There is a Sunday 2pm game against the Roosters on the 6th of August.

Steve "Skivy" Matai and Brett "The Prince of Brookvale" Stewart are two players that deserve to be sent out in a style befitting absolute legends of our club and the game. I hope the club will announce their plans early to give as many people as possible time to prepare for the celebration.

Being the sentimental fool I am I would also like to include a few players who we never got the chance to say goodbye to....

I would love to see Matt Ballin included, a champion bloke and a tough as nails competitor. Tigers play on Sunday so he should be free. Get him there.

Glenn Stewart - Brett and Glenn, helped form the heart of our club for around 10 years, and led us out of the dark ages of the Northern Eagles and gave us all hope of good times to come. I would love to have Glen join Brett in his walk around Fortress Brookvale ... and would reserve the right to blubber like a baby as their highlights run for an hour on the big screen.

Part of me would also like to put the crap in the past and let Choc walk around as well. Proof that footballers are hired for brawn not brains - Choc did his talking on the field - he played his guts out every time he went out there - from the time I watched him playing a lead up game to first grade pretty much to the bitter end - you couldn't fault the effort (except maybe for the crabbing, silly penalties, and dropped ball). Yep he crapped in his own nest at the end which understandably there are many here that would never forgive - but those were not good times and to blame one person for all the ills I think is wrong.

Anyway this is my dream - I pray the club will put all the bull**** politics aside and make it happen - I'll be there - if it's only one or all - and I'll clap them every step of the way because they deserve it.

Like you, I would love to see both Snake and Skivvy do a lap of honour so the fans can play tribute. As fans we were robbed of that with Matty B and Gifty. I do not see it happening because I think the club has moved on and the fact that Snake and Skivvy have not been around the club this year is significant.

I would like to agree with you over Whatmough. I will not deny his achievements at our club and that a lot of fans really love him. What I cant forgive or forget is his role in the destabilisation of the club in the 14 season, his want way attitude to a club that is our enemy and turning his back on a club that gave him everything and backed him. Also a guy that influenced one of our stars to join that club as well. He was made a football club life member a few years back and that was recognition of his achievements. He has sullied that with his dreadful words. Great player for sure, but a big gob!!

 

[jbb/james]

Id be happy for all of them , and add tooves to the list but

If there is any hint of a scandle with the betting stuff, no way whatsoever. In fact if it were ever proven id want all of them scratched from our history

If not its a great idea , but not at brookie. A seperate lunch in the leagues auditorium prevgame so those that want to can go.maybe have them hand out the player jerseys in the sheds but None of them are part of the current squad

This is there time

 

[Peter C]

I get the feeling nothing will happen, they've been paid up, and probably still harbour ill feeling towards the club after the Glen Stewart affair.
Somehow I don't think Brett Stewart would like to return to the club and shake the hand of our current captain.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

So with the draw for the final rounds released last week - I think it's time for the club to start preparing for a fitting farewell for some of the true greats of our club - and this day seems the best given that there aren't many home games left. There is a Sunday 2pm game against the Roosters on the 6th of August.

Steve "Skivy" Matai and Brett "The Prince of Brookvale" Stewart are two players that deserve to be sent out in a style befitting absolute legends of our club and the game. I hope the club will announce their plans early to give as many people as possible time to prepare for the celebration.

Being the sentimental fool I am I would also like to include a few players who we never got the chance to say goodbye to....

I would love to see Matt Ballin included, a champion bloke and a tough as nails competitor. Tigers play on Sunday so he should be free. Get him there.

Glenn Stewart - Brett and Glenn, helped form the heart of our club for around 10 years, and led us out of the dark ages of the Northern Eagles and gave us all hope of good times to come. I would love to have Glen join Brett in his walk around Fortress Brookvale ... and would reserve the right to blubber like a baby as their highlights run for an hour on the big screen.

Part of me would also like to put the crap in the past and let Choc walk around as well. Proof that footballers are hired for brawn not brains - Choc did his talking on the field - he played his guts out every time he went out there - from the time I watched him playing a lead up game to first grade pretty much to the bitter end - you couldn't fault the effort (except maybe for the crabbing, silly penalties, and dropped ball). Yep he crapped in his own nest at the end which understandably there are many here that would never forgive - but those were not good times and to blame one person for all the ills I think is wrong.

Anyway this is my dream - I pray the club will put all the bull**** politics aside and make it happen - I'll be there - if it's only one or all - and I'll clap them every step of the way because they deserve it.

Send a message to the club. It would be a hell of a sight, the passing of the torch

 

[court83]

Like you, I would love to see both Snake and Skivvy do a lap of honour so the fans can play tribute. As fans we were robbed of that with Matty B and Gifty. I do not see it happening because I think the club has moved on and the fact that Snake and Skivvy have not been around the club this year is significant.

I would like to agree with you over Whatmough. I will not deny his achievements at our club and that a lot of fans really love him. What I cant forgive or forget is his role in the destabilisation of the club in the 14 season, his want way attitude to a club that is our enemy and turning his back on a club that gave him everything and backed him. Also a guy that influenced one of our stars to join that club as well. He was made a football club life member a few years back and that was recognition of his achievements. He has sullied that with his dreadful words. Great player for sure, but a big gob!!

Maybe he was working in manlys best interest when he lured foz to the eels lol... Imagine how absolutely f@$ked manly would be now had we kept foz, released dce to the tits and then watched as foz melted down and walked away anyway

 

[sheridanstand78]

Maybe he was working in manlys best interest when he lured foz to the eels lol... Imagine how absolutely f@$ked manly would be now had we kept foz, released dce to the tits and then watched as foz melted down and walked away anyway

It's all hypothetical now. Fact is, this time 3 years ago we were four points clear on top of the ladder and he publicly announced his and others unhappiness and it killed any chance we had. My issue with him was his selfishness at the time. Sure time has told that we kept the right half. The events of the 14 season ripped the guts out of our club. Let's hope we never see that again!!

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

On the flip side, after Hasler left in 2011, it was all doomsday and tin foil hats, and Watmough was the 1st one to come out strong and hold the place together

He deserves recognition, this is a bloke who will have an extremely second hand body for the rest of his life, solely because of what he gave to Manly. Will always be a champion

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Sorry the horse(s) have bolted, and I'd suggest less than 1% chance this will happen.

Be nice to see ( bar one you mention whom I'll never forgive), but very very very unlikely now.

 

[Holmsey]

Stewart and Matai will never be seen around the club again. Or football. Once this year is over and the final payments have been made we won't hear about these 2 again. Both have isolated themselves to the club and have been ignoring the club, that's why the saga has gone on so long beca use neither is interested in sorting it out.

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

yep, horse has bolted here i fear. Normally when you are a big name and transitioning from playing to not playing, there are those NRL Ambassador roles many jump right into. Not to mention anyone who can string a sentence together can usually get a trial in some sort of regular radio or tv spot. The fact that we have seen and heard absolutely zero from them both through the club, and the league world in general kinda tells me there is much more to it that i'd rather not think about. Its pretty clear they aren't wanted around the current squad and odds probably quite juicy as to why.

I think the closest to a proper farewell will probably be an invitation to the GF Lap with other retirees and that might be about it.

Whatever their reasons, hopefully they're doing okay. Brett obviously doing well with restaurant, hopefully the Matai super silence is due to just being busy enjoying family time.

 

[manlyfan76]

It was reported that snake fell out with someone at the club he thought of as family. I read this as being Zorba.
Interesting if it was and snake kept away because of him.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

yep, horse has bolted here i fear. Normally when you are a big name and transitioning from playing to not playing, there are those NRL Ambassador roles many jump right into. Not to mention anyone who can string a sentence together can usually get a trial in some sort of regular radio or tv spot. The fact that we have seen and heard absolutely zero from them both through the club, and the league world in general kinda tells me there is much more to it that i'd rather not think about. Its pretty clear they aren't wanted around the current squad and odds probably quite juicy as to why.

I think the closest to a proper farewell will probably be an invitation to the GF Lap with other retirees and that might be about it.

Whatever their reasons, hopefully they're doing okay. Brett obviously doing well with restaurant, hopefully the Matai super silence is due to just being busy enjoying family time.

Might see them doing a GF lap, that's also a VERY big might.

I fear they have been lost to League for all time ( although hope some healing might see them back at a Golden Eagles day in the future at least).

It's all very very sad I have to say.

 

[Catch_20_2]

The club was quick to respond to my query which was really great.

Hi Ian,
Thanks for your email.
These guys are certainly legends of the club and we’d absolutely hope to be able to pay our respects to them and their service in some way. I believe the club is still working through a resolution to their medical retirements which is holding us back from locking in plans unfortunately.
As soon as we know what we are able to do we will be sure to advertise it to all of our Members and fans.
Thanks

Hope that they can resolve any of these remaining issues and let us give these champions a proper farewell.

 

[tookey]

They asked Foran to do a lap of honour but he said that his hamstrings wouldn't last that far

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The club was quick to respond to my query which was really great.

Hi Ian,
Thanks for your email.
These guys are certainly legends of the club and we’d absolutely hope to be able to pay our respects to them and their service in some way. I believe the club is still working through a resolution to their medical retirements which is holding us back from locking in plans unfortunately.
As soon as we know what we are able to do we will be sure to advertise it to all of our Members and fans.
Thanks

Hope that they can resolve any of these remaining issues and let us give these champions a proper farewell.

Good for you asking , means absolutely nothing but thanks for taking the time to do so.

PS: the medical retirements would have only been useful pre 30 June, it's almost the middle of July and they will only have to be paid to the 2nd of September anyway, there's zero reason why this cant happen other than,

1) the players don't want it.

2) the club won't have a bar of it.